College of the Redwoods release: 

Bear River Rancheria and College of the Redwoods (CR) have established a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to temporarily house CR Residence Hall students at the Bear River Hotel at the same rental rate as dorm rooms. Additionally, the college and the hotel have arranged a free, twice-daily shuttle service for students Monday through Friday to and from the college.

College of the Redwoods is one of only 12 California Community Colleges to offer dormitory accommodations. In recent years, more students are having trouble finding affordable housing off-campus. The strategic location of the Bear River Hotel ensures that students will have convenient access to the college’s facilities and resources, minimizing commute time and expenses.

This partnership aligns with CR’s commitment to offering a supportive environment for its diverse student population, ensuring that no student in need of housing will be turned away.  

“We are delighted to enter into this partnership with the Bear River Tribe,” said Dr. Keith Flamer, President of College of the Redwoods. “These additional housing options will allow our students to fully immerse themselves in their academic journey without the burden of finding suitable accommodation elsewhere.” 

The signing of this MOU marks the beginning of an exciting new partnership between the Bear River Tribe and College of the Redwoods, which may expand to include construction of a regulation-size NCAA artificial turf baseball field alongside the softball field on Bear River Rancheria, where CR teams may practice and compete.

For at least another year and a half, California employers won’t be able to follow In-N-Out’s lead in banning workers from wearing masks on the job.

The state’s COVID-19 workplace rules protecting workers’ rights to decide for themselves whether to wear face coverings are locked in at least until February 2025 and could be extended.

Those regulations prevented the iconic Irvine-based burger chain from applying its new policy prohibiting workers from wearing face masks in its home state, where it operates about 70% of its restaurants.

Instead, In-N-Out’s mask ban will apply to workers at its restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah. It has a total of 116 locations in those states.

In a memo, the company said it wants to “emphasize the importance of customer service. And the ability to show our Associates’ smiles and other facial features.”

It is allowing employees to wear masks if they present a medical note that “clearly states the reason for the exemption.”

In-N-Out released a different masking policy for employees in California and in Oregon that leaves the choice to mask up to each individual worker. That approach complies with California and Oregon standards that provide continuous protections to employees.

“Keeping the right to mask is more about our freedom and power to make decisions that will keep us safe at work.”
— Ingrid Vilorio, Castro Valley Jack In the Box worker and SEIU member

In a way, the split is a reminder of California’s more cautious response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Democratic state was the first to order its residents to shelter in place and shut down non-essential activity. Throughout the pandemic, state health officials have updated guidelines and rules to adapt to evolving transmission patterns.

In-N-Out went along with those rules during the pandemic, although the company contested local indoor vaccine mandates in the fall of 2021. Its refusal to check customers’ vaccination records led to temporary shutdowns of restaurants in San Francisco and in Pleasant Hill of Contra Costa County, according to press reports.

Cal/OSHA, the agency charged with ensuring occupational safety in California, earlier this year updated its COVID-19 requirements. Among them: “Employers must allow employees to wear face coverings if they voluntarily choose to do so, unless it would create a safety hazard.”

California employers can require masks

California employers can go a step further and require workers to wear a mask, as long as they also provide flexibility for someone who can’t wear one due to medical reasons or a disability.

The state’s pandemic-related regulations for employers have gradually eased, but employers are still required to take several steps in the interest of protecting workers, according to Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 prevention regulations.

These include:

• Notifying employees of COVID-19 cases in the workplace.
• Providing face coverings and free tests to employees during workplace outbreaks, which is defined as at least three cases during a seven-day period.
• Improving indoor ventilation and air filtration to prevent transmission.

California labor organizations plan to continue advocating for public health rules that protect fast-food workers.

Ingrid Vilorio, a Castro Valley Jack In the Box worker and SEIU member, said fast-food employees often lacked basic protections during the pandemic.

“That’s why workers like me went on strike and even testified during Cal/OSHA meetings on the need for emergency safety standards that would keep our colleagues, customers and families safe,” she said.

“Keeping the right to mask is more about our freedom and power to make decisions that will keep us safe at work,” Vilorio added.

Why fast-food workers might want masks

Cal/OSHA enforces its rules with inspections following complaints or accidents, the agency said in an email. It also conducts scheduled inspections.

Alicia Riley, an assistant professor of sociology at UC Santa Cruz who conducted health equity research during the pandemic, said the In-N-Out memo to employees struck her as narrow.

“It assumes a lot about why someone would want to wear a mask. It doesn’t consider the situation we know many workers, especially fast-food workers, are in, which is that they’re not living alone,” Riley said. “They may not be at high risk of serious illness, but they may live with someone who is.”

Earlier this month, the California Supreme Court sided with an employer in a case in which a Bay Area woman sued her husband’s employer after she became severely ill when he caught COVID on the job and brought it home. The court ruled she could not claim workers’ compensation.

Riley said In-N-Out’s mask ban highlights workplace inequities the pandemic exposed. For example, cooks were among the 25 occupations with the most excess deaths in 2020, Riley’s research has shown.

“They may not be at high risk of serious illness, but they may live with someone who is.”
Alicia Riley, assistant professor of sociology at UC Santa Cruz

New COVID outbreaks

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are down from three years ago, but recent outbreaks show some risk remains.

Just last week the Los Angeles County public health department reported an uptick in COVID-19 cases and in virus concentration in wastewater following the July 4th weekend. The department said it also is seeing new outbreaks in nursing homes, where residents are highly susceptible to illness. In the span of two weeks, the department said it had opened 23 outbreak investigations.

Because the virus will continue to be around, public health experts say workplace rules, such as allowing workers to mask if they choose, make sense.

“When we think of a broader public health perspective, measures that help us reduce transmission of any disease that are minimally impactful on other individuals are certainly things we should be interested in maintaining,” said Shira Shafir, an epidemiology professor at UCLA.

“Being able to maintain a workforce, being able to minimize the risk of an outbreak occurring at a facility, these are things that are within the best interest of the business as well as in the best interest of the public,” Shafir said.

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Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visit www.chcf.org to learn more.

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

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Press release from Redwood National and State Parks:

Orick, CA- On July 19th at Redwood National and State Parks under a light fog and a canopy of coastal redwoods, 26 people became the newest citizens of the United States. The applicants came from around the world including countries such as South Africa, Philippines, Ukraine, and China. 

Redwood National and State Park Deputy Superintendent Leonel Arguello, who spoke at the event, stated, “It is our high honor and esteem to host this naturalization ceremony. We extend our congratulations and warmest welcome to these new citizens. Our nation’s strength is founded on the immigration of new ideas and culture, and in allowing all citizens to meet their full potential and contribute to this great nation. Like a healthy redwood forest, our nation is enhanced by the diversity, resilience, and strength of its newest members.” 

The newest citizens and their family members were able to celebrate this momentous occasion in one of their new country’s most breathtaking places. For many, it was their first time visiting the park. The Humboldt Harmonaires provided the music for the event, including the National Anthem.  

United State Citizen and Immigration Services and National Park Service have a signed a Memorandum of Understanding that advances the meaning and stature of citizenship by building connections between new citizens and America’s parks. Signed in 2006, and renewed in 2021, the agreement has led to special naturalization ceremonies held at many of the 425 places safeguarded by NPS. 

Ceremonies are held in such iconic places as Ellis Island, Yosemite National Park, Cesar Chavez National Monument, Acadia National Park, Death Valley National Park and numerous Memorial Parks on the National Mall. The renewed MOU further strengthens collaborative efforts to hold ceremonies at locations that best represent the strength and spirit of the United States and supports the promotion of citizenship and naturalization. Redwood National and State Parks is honored to be a part of such an important event in the lives of those who participated in the ceremony. 

Jane Cowling Bennett Ford of Fieldbrook passed away in her home at the age of 77 on June 14, 2023. She was born in Bennington on January 28, 1946. 

Jane grew up on a farm in Sandgate, Vermont, and even though her family moved to Garden Grove, California when she was eight years old, she always spoke fondly of her formative years there. Seeking a change of scenery, Jane moved north to Humboldt County as soon as she finished high school and enrolled at Humboldt State University. There she received a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a minor in Physical Education. Jane loved Humboldt County so much that she convinced her family to relocate to Ferndale, where they purchased The Shaw House as their family home.

After college Jane found herself working as a flight attendant for American Airlines, spending a year in New York City and then landing in San Francisco, where she settled for a number of years. When she wasn’t working, she was using her airline perks to travel the world to places such as Bali, New Zealand, Greece, and the United Kingdom; following a lifelong passion for travel and adventure.

Jane found her way back to Humboldt in her late 20s and discovered her passion for gardening that would stick with her for the rest of her life. Jane was a master gardener and transformed many a barren landscape into an oasis of hedges and rock lined garden beds, filled with an array of beautiful flowers, fruit trees and berries. 

In her 30s, Jane met her first husband (Jerry Peterson) and started a family, settling in Arcata where she lovingly raised her three children. Around the same time she also pursued her passion for helping people and spent many years volunteering at Hospice. It wasn’t until her 40s (once her kids were in school) that she could finish pursuing a Masters Degree in Psychology at Humboldt State University, eventually becoming a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

Jane spent many years enjoying her practice and caring for her family. In the summers, Jane and her second husband (John Schmidt) would load the kids and luggage into a big van and embark on month-long road trips around the country, sharing her adventurous spirit with the rest of her family.

Jane’s dedication to helping and caring for others was evident throughout her life. She always said her work as a Marriage and Family Therapist was fulfilling and rewarding because she was able to provide support and care to members of her community. In her personal life Jane’s favorite hobbies were making chocolates and gardening. Both were talents she was always happy to share with others. She delighted friends and family with her extensive assortment of chocolates during the holidays and for the rest of the year invited others to share in the beauty of her garden oasis that she spent countless hours sculpting and caring for.

In her later years, Jane found joy indulging in her love for reading, taking bike rides around Fieldbrook, tending her garden, caring for her cats and chickens, and spending time with her neighborhood friends.

Jane is survived by her three children, Emily Ford-Peterson, Lauren (Matthew Lyles) Ford-Peterson, and Jonathan Ford-Peterson; her granddaughter Amelia Lyles; her brothers,

Tom (Lori) Ford and Tim (Sheila) Ford; her nieces and nephews, Brian Viall, Gary (Debbie) Viall, Sharon (Mark) Viall Drown, Sara Ford (Mike) Cortes, Greg (Dena) Ford; her many great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews, as well as her close friends and neighbors.

Jane is preceded in death by her parents Frank Ford and Jeannette Owens Ford, her sister Dora Ford, her sister-in-law Catherine Ford, and her niece Renee Ford.

Jane Ford will be remembered for her boundless love for gardening, her witty spirit, her calm and compassionate nature, and her contributions to her community. Her memory will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

Jane’s life will be celebrated at her family home in Fieldbrook on Saturday, August 12. For more information contact lfordpete@gmail.com.

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The vacant lot directly next to Greenview Market on 11th Street and Janes Road will likey be home to a new apartment building and two businesses, after the Arcata Planning Commission approved the design review for the proposed project during its Tuesday night meeting. 

Opponents of the project — many of whom spoke at the meeting — could still appeal the decision to the Arcata City Council.

The project, submitted by local ​​company North Star Development LLC, will include the construction of three two-story buildings, one that will face 11th Street and hold two commercial spaces, and two that will hold a combined 22 two-bedroom apartments. Design plans also include the addition of 23 parking spaces, 18 bike parking spaces and the addition of landscaping that will include native species and drought tolerant plants. 

Delo Freitas, a senior planner for the City of Arcata, began by giving the commission some background on the project, mentioning that for many years the site was home to the United Creamery plant, but has been vacant since the 1950s. A development was proposed for the site in 1992, but was not approved by the Planning Commission. Because the site is already zoned for mixed-use development, Freitas said, there are no zoning restrictions for the proposed project. 

Freitas also spoke to a rumor going around that one of the commercial spaces was going to be a tavern, something she said many neighbors were concerned about. Freitas said that the applicant confirmed with her that there are no plans for a tavern, adding that a tavern does not fall under the currently permissible uses on the site and would require applying for an additional use permit. 

But even without the prospect of a bar moving in, many residents of the neighborhood were not very happy about the proposed project.  More than a dozen community members – many of whom live and/or own property on Daniels Street, directly behind the proposed development – spoke up during the meeting, urging the commission to not approve the project as proposed, citing concerns over increased noise, traffic, parking and the height of the buildings. 

Christine Perry, a resident and homeowner on Daniels Street, voiced her concerns over the development increasing traffic and noise, and said that having a two-story building right against her property would compromise her privacy and safety, by allowing people to see right into her yard and home. She also had concerns about increased criminal activity in the neighborhood with the addition of up to 44 new residents. 

“With more people and businesses, more crime follows,” Perry said during the meeting, asking that the applicants alter the design to have fewer units and one-story buildings instead. “Should this complex be developed as proposed it would permanently ruin my quality of life, and that is unacceptable.” 

Another property owner on Daniels Street, Thomas Guy, said that the two-story buildings would cause excessive shading of the neighboring one-story houses and affect people’s solar panels, and said that the development will have a “massive impact” on water, traffic and parking in the neighborhood. 

Design showing the site plan

Some members of the community and members of the commission also voiced concerns over a section of the property that was being left vacant in the design plan. Project applicant Kyle Boughton said that the space was being left open to allow for additional development in the future. 

Commissioner Judith Mayer was not a fan of this explanation, and said that although it’s not formally required, she would prefer to see the applicants submit a “phased proposal” that indicates what exactly they plan to build in the future. 

Although several members of the Planning Commission said that they understood the neighbors’ concerns, most of the commission members felt that the need for more housing in Arcata far outweighed any of those issues. 

“Arcata has committed to strategic infill,” Commissioner Scott Davies said during the meeting, “and I don’t see how we’re possibly able to do that without impacting neighbors.” 

Ultimately the Planning Commission voted 4-1 to approve the proposed project, with Mayer dissenting. 

“I came in here planning to vote for this project,” Mayer said of her dissenting vote. “I’ve changed my mind. I think the principle of hedging on a parcel so that you can take advantage of changed standards in the very near future and not providing us with a phased proposal is not something I will vote for.”

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On July 25, 2023, at about 10:30 p.m., Officers with the Eureka Police Department responded to the 200 block of Dollison St. for the report that a man had threatened suicide, stated he had a firearm, and left in a vehicle while appearing to be under the influence.

Minutes later, officers located the vehicle near 6th and E Streets and began to follow it. The driver then stopped the vehicle in the roadway near 3rd and K Streets. While officers were preparing to approach, a single gun shot was heard coming from the vehicle. The driver fled and stopped again near 5th and N Streets. Roads were shut down in the area while announcements were made attempting to get the male to exit the vehicle.

After several minutes, the male fled in the vehicle towards HWY 255 and the Samoa Bridges. Officers pursued while CHP successfully deployed a spike strip near the Mad River Slough Bridge. The driver continued towards Arcata driving with blown out tires. Once in Arcata, the driver collided with an uninvolved occupied vehicle. No injuries were reported. The male ultimately came to a stop near the 2100 block of Frederick St. in Arcata and exited the vehicle with a rifle. Officers gave commands and the male eventually threw the rifle and began to run towards a house. An EPD Sergeant deployed his taser and the male was taken into custody without further incident.

The 61-year-old male was found to be suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound which is suspected to have occurred when the shot was heard near 3rd and K Streets in Eureka. The male was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Due to the medical nature of this incident, the male’s name is not being released at this time.

Charges for reckless evasion, felon in possession of a firearm, and prohibited person in possession of ammunition will be referred to the District Attorney’s Office for review. The Eureka Police Department would like to thank all of the agencies who assisted with this incident.

City of Eureka release: 

By request of the Mayor and order of the City Manager, all flags at City facilities will be flown at half- staff on Thursday, July 27th in honor of Leon Thomas Warmuth, founder of Leon’s Car Care Center in Eureka. Leon Warmuth passed away last week in Eureka. Leon Warmuth was a self-made business owner in Eureka and contributed generously to the City of Eureka.

Mayor Bergel stated, “Leon was a great asset to the City of Eureka and his humor and love for our City will be missed. Eureka is a better place because of Leon and the Warmuth family.”

Flags will remain at half-staff through Thursday. The Mayor, Council, and City of Eureka staff extends our deepest condolences to the Warmuth family.